General Colin Powell looks up at the Star-Spangled Banner during his speech as the featured guest during the "Dawn's Early Light" program at Fort McHenry, commemorating the actual anniversary of the words penned by Francis Scott Key 200 years ago.

General Colin Powell looks up at the Star-Spangled Banner during his speech as the featured guest during the "Dawn's Early Light" program at Fort McHenry, commemorating the actual anniversary of the words penned by Francis Scott Key 200 years ago. (Amy Davis / Baltimore Sun)

Mark Puente,The Baltimore Sun

With a cool breeze blowing on Fort McHenry, about 30 Army honor guard soldiers stood at attention for 15 minutes while holding a large U.S. flag decorated with 15 stars.

When the fort's morning gun blasted at 9 a.m., dozens of soldiers, politicians and hundreds of onlookers fell silent. The honor guard, with the help of re-enactors from the War of 1812, raised the 30-foot by 42-foot flag over the compound.

As Old Glory flapped, the Fort McHenry Guard Fife and Drum Corps played "Yankee Doodle."

Then one of America's most-famous soldiers answered the question Francis Scott Key raised when he wrote "O! say can you see by the Dawn's early light" as the first line of the Star-Spangled Banner.

"It waves now and will wave forever," said former Secretary of State and retired Gen. Colin Powell.

Closing out the major festivities at Fort McHenry, the Dawn's Early Light event on Sunday highlighted the legacy of American troops beating back a British invasion in Baltimore.

As a result, the Star-Spangled Banner was born in Baltimore and became the country's national anthem. The week-long "Star-Spangled Spectacular" has helped attract thousands of visitors to the city to commemorate the event.

Powell gained popularity while serving as the nation's top military commander during the Persian Gulf War under President George H.W. Bush. He then served as secretary of state under President George W. Bush.

Wearing a dark suit and a red and blue tie, the 77-year-old still looked fit enough to lead troops into battle. He recalled the thousands of military members who had died while protecting the county from the early years through the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Reflecting back to Sept. 14, 1814, Powell said Baltimore might have been more important than Washington, D.C.

"Some might even say it's still the case," he quipped, looking at Gov. Martin O'Malley.

After Powell's brief remarks, O'Malley helped lead the crowd in the singing of the national anthem.

In preparation of the event, more than 200 stitchers from across Maryland helped sew the flag.

The crowd cheered when Vincent Vaise, chief of interpretation at Fort McHenry, said the flag's material was produced in Pennsylvania. He spent about 15 minutes telling the crowd about that day in 1814 and how the temperature and cool breeze were similar to Sunday.

"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event," he said.

Anne O'Reilly agreed.

The Locust Point resident snapped pictures on her phone while leaning on one of the fort's brick walls. O'Reilly, who moved to the United States 25 years ago from England, wanted to witness an event that her ancestors likely participated in.

"I had no problem getting in here," she said, joking about her English roots.

Karen Morgan left her Upper Marlboro home at 7 a.m. to watch the ceremony.

"It was so inspiring," she said. "It was really nicely done. The re-enactors seemed so authentic to me."

With cannons echoing and white smoke filling the fort, the crowd did something soldiers couldn't do 200 years ago: Snap countless selfies on smartphones with Old Glory as the backdrop.

O'Malley said the event highlighted the good things that happen in Baltimore.

"It was a tremendous week," the possible 2016 presidential candidate said. "We had high expectations, and we met them."